Gospel Fest brings some of Capital Region’s unsung talent together

From left to right: Dennis McKay, Ryan Graham, and Gabriel Gordon are the members of Philos, just one of the musical groups which performed during the third annual Gospel Fest at Powers Park in Troy, N.Y., on Saturday June 28, 2014.
Mike McMahon - The Record

Lori Ann Cannon, Delores Rhoades and Jeanette Trotter enjoy listening to the musical performances at the third annual Gospel Fest at Powers Park in Troy, on Saturday June 28, 2014
Mike McMahon - The Record

TROY >> The city’s third annual Gospel Fest brought musicians from area churches together at Powers Park in Lansingburgh Saturday.

The city-sponsored festival is organized by Special Events Coordinator Vito Ciccarelli and Aaron Collington, a Troy police officer.

“We don’t reach everybody we’re supposed to reach being inside the church, so I thought coming out here we’d reach more people,” explained Collington, a member of Bethel Baptist Church. He said he remembers community events like this from his childhood and would like to see more happening now.

Community groups, including the Troy Drug-Free Coalition, coordinated by Collington’s wife, Davia, were also on hand, distributing literature.

Steven Musso, an Albany native and Christian-Gospel artist, pulled a group together to play at the festival. Musso, who attends City Harvest Family Church, recently graduated with a degree in music from the College of Saint Rose and is now working toward his master’s degree in music and worship at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

“I’ve always been into music, but when you’re serving God, music becomes more of a calling and less of a hobby,” said Musso, who is pursuing a career in Christian music.

“Everyone likes to stay in the four walls of their own church... and this is kind of a unifying event for the church. You’ve got people here from all over the place, from different congregations,” Musso added. “It’s multicultural, it’s multigenerational, and you’ve got all different people coming together in a spirit of unity.”

Gabriel Gordon, 22, Dennis McKay, Jr. 31, and Ryan Graham, 24, formed an impromtu trio for the festival. The three have known each other nearly their entire lives, they say, and have been singing together for years at the Church of God of Prophecy in Albany.

Ciccarelli said the intent of the event is to bring diversity to the city’s usual festivals and concerts.

He said Collington came to him three years ago and asked when the city would put together an event for local churches, and he began to organize the Gospel Fest.

The park also hosts a family-oriented Saturday night concert series, starting at 6 p.m. each week in July and August. The Powers Park Concert Series kicks off this Saturday with a family safety night, when members of the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department, Troy Police Department and Troy Fire Department will be distributing literature to families.

Ciccarelli said next year’s Gospel Fest will be held in August from 2 to 8 p.m., as part of the regular concert series, and hopes the change will attract an even larger audience. He said last year, about 200 to 300 people attended, and expected to see a similar crowd this year.

Mayor Lou Rosamilia came out to the event for the third year.

“It’s a great event, it’s a spirit-filled event,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity, and I’d like to see more people take advantage of it.”